Bittersweet Favour
by MIBbabe
Summary: A challenge response from Lulubelle09. Use the phrase "Babe I have a favour to ask... I need you to marry me". BABE HEA.


Hi all. This is challenge response from Lulubelle09. I have not edited this short story too much so forgive any errors please. Lastly I don't own the Plum world, JE does. Enjoy!

Bittersweet Favour

After hours of following the endless centre line faintly shining in my trucks headlight projection against the dark night I finally make it to the outskirts of Trenton. My knuckles are white from fiercely clenching the steering wheel. The tenseness in my body becoming stronger ver the last 30 minutes. I pull into the park of a run down long time abandoned motel off the highway but is still in business for those people who need a shelter or somewhere to shoot up. I can feel cautious and anxious eyes glancing into night at me. Sigh. I don't think there will be trouble they are just worried I am going to jeopardise their safe haven by raiding the place.

I sit forward to roll my shoulders and stretch my neck attempting to relieve some of the tension I have built up. When that's not enough I shake out my arms. Thump! "Shit! Argh. Good goin Steph" I say while holding the hand I hit in the steering wheel. Shaking my head at myself I reach for the trucks door and jump out only I forget I am no longer in my low little sport cars but raised four wheel drive and rather than stepping out onto a hard surface I fall out when the ground doesn't meet my boot. "Jeez. Something's never change. I can fight bloody good, dance with co-ordination, I can box and bounce around a ring with ease and skill. But at the end of the day I am still clumsy, disaster attracting Stephanie Plum" I mumble to my self while stretching my legs.

Once in Trenton, I cruise past the Rangeman building on Haywood. I contemplate stopping at the curb but quickly retract that thought because in about 3-5 minutes a Merry Man or two or three will be covering my truck. I reach the hotel I booked a room at and call it a night. Glancing at the clock on the side table the time is flashing obnoxiously at me 2.06. Sighing I look at the ceiling my thoughts wondering.

_Babe I have signed the annulment papers. Your turn. Ranger says to me. _

_Biting my bottom lip I pick up the pen with a trembling hand after pausing and giving myself a dose big girl panties I ask ranger what will happen now that the case is over. _

_Well Babe. I will put you on a plane back to Trenton I have some other things I need to do so I will not be travelling with you and may not be back to Trenton for a while. _

_I look at Ranger fighting the dread that is sitting heavy in my stomach, he knows that is not what I meant. After a breath I ask what about us Ranger? We have always been so close and working on this case together has only brought us closer. You can't tell me that it was for the job. We are more than a job and you know it. I love you and you love me too._

_He replies but it is not what I want to hear. Babe. He looks down and I see his chest rise and lower as he appears to be preparing his self. When he looks up it is a blank face. Babe. I do love you. You are my best friend and trust you more than anyone else. I can't offer you more than that. I admit that I took advantage of the situation we were in for this case because I wanted feel what it would be like to be with you as a couple and I think you did too. I nod my head before he continues. But babe it was not real. You are going back to the burg and all it holds and I am going back to my 8 day a week business and government contracts that come up I expectantly. _

_I nod again and sign the papers. Thanks Ranger. I will see you in Trenton when you get there. I give him a kiss on the cheek and leave. I had to leave before I broke into uncontrollable tears at my breaking heart. I loved him before this alphabet number agencies case and fell in love more while working the case and I still love him. I don't think I will ever feel the same love for any other man as I do for Ranger. _

I groan and throw a pillow at the ceiling and glance at that damn obnoxious clock flashing neon numbers at me. The pillow lands on my chest and I wrap arms around it and turn onto my side away from the neon flashing 3.20. Staring into the dark room I say to no one "and all this started with a "Babe I need a favour... I need you to marry me".

My morning run takes me past Rangeman. My body clock woke 30 minutes later than my normal 5am wake up so knowing Ranger went for his run at 5am would hopefully mean he will have finished his run by now and I won't literally run him into him. I am grateful the weather is warming up. I prefer to run and exercise in crop tops and shorts so I can feel the cool morning air around my skin. Today I am sporting an army camo print crop top and black shorts sitting low on my hips. I doubt any one would recognise me with the changes My body has made, the black chemically straightened hair I have and the tattoo I have inked delicately around my wrist like a braclet. I also have a few more piercings, one high on my right ear, and piercing in my ear lobes just above my single earrings and a navel piercing that I have no issue showing off with the clothes I now wear. I stop at a small park opposite Rangeman on the next block. It is more of a park used for drained office workers looking to escape the stuffy buildings for the outdoors during a lunch break. I use the back of park chairs to stretch my hamstrings and use the lush green grass to do push ups and sit ups.

My feet land softly on the ground after using a strong enough tree branch to do some gruelling pull-ups and look up in time to witness Bobby and Les get their feet tangled trip over each other and fall to the ground in a heap. I hear Les say "Damn she is Hot. I will fall over your ass everytime if I can watch her do those pull ups again". Bobby slaps him up the back of the head without moving his eyes from my direction and follows by saying "who is she? I would have remembered her if I saw her before. Shit, she is sexy. Check out what she is wearing man". I am laughing uncontrollably but they don't seem to notice.

Uh oh. Time to go before they come over and I run off in the opposite direction still laughing.

With my shower and breakfast done the first stop I have to make is to my parents but I still feeling antsy so decide to stop by Sunny's gun range before seeing my mother. Approaching the door at Sunny's Ram and Cal walk out. They each nod politely and I give a small smile saying "Hey Ram. Hey Cal" while walking past them. When I turn briefly on opening the door the guys are looking at me with bewildered confusion. A cell phone starts ringing but the boys don't move. Right before the door closes I say "phone ringing!" that snaps them out if it and they both reach for their phones. No blank faces. I laugh again. This is too much fun playing with the Merry Men. Who knew the Merry Men were so entertaining.

With a groan I park at the curb of my parents home. I can see nosy busy bodies glancing out windows at the new beefed up gunmetal grey truck. My Dodge Ram truck. "Here goes" I breath out and jump out of the truck. My mother opens the front door before I round the truck and begin walking up the path. I can see her scrutinising my outfit and I sigh again. Nothing changes with her. I imagine nothing about my gunmetal grey knee high Docs hugging my calves and lacing up the front would make my mother happy. They matched my truck in colour. In my mothers eyes I would be also showing too much skin above my docs by wearing a white cotton short skirt that had room to move freely if I needed to. The sky blue soft light cotton top with a wide neck line exposing my collarbones would be shocking because you can faintly see my lacy bra underneath.

"Hi mom" I kiss her cheek and walk past her into the house. "Stephanie" my mother responds tightly. Bring it on mother. I am not the same Stephanie that left Trenton. I have my fighting spirit back when it comes to you and you will not be verbally beating me down again. On greeting Daddy in the living room he looks at me and says "you look terrific Pumpkin. Are you happy?" Giving dad another hug I whisper in his ear "yeah daddy I am much more happier than when I left. Thank you for your help" and I squeeze him tighter. "But your not completely happy are you?" he asks knowingly. "no I am not" I reply softly. "Pumpkin I haven't always been there for you but thank you giving me the opportunity to help you and keeping in contact with me while you were away. I love you" and he kisses my cheek. "Let's go deal with your mother than I will take you to the club for a while".

Leaving Daddy at the club I head to the bonds office. I can't wait to see Lula and Connie. Daddy had been keeping them updated on my travels and although I didn't speak to them personally we were connected in messages and well wishes through my dad. Opening the bonds office door I call out "hey girls!" Lula and Connie stop eating they're donuts staring at me quietly before jumping up and screaming. I laugh when they gather me up in a huge bouncing hug. Vinnie bursts out of his office "what the hell is going on?".

"Piss off Vinnie" Lula says before Connie or I get a chance to say something. He starts to rant some more but quickly shuts up storming back into his office after staring at me before I say "I am your cousin you perv. Stop bloody staring". I catch up with girls and organise a night out for the next night. I don't need to work right away but I like keeping busy so I knock on Vinnie's office door and enter closing the door whine me. "Connie says you have a few outstanding FTA's with fast approaching capture date. Do you need a hand?" I say. "Steph you were a friggin disaster I can't risk you messing up capturing them" he says. I grab my phone and dial some numbers while I reply to Vinnie, "You know I have a 100% capture rate with you Vinnie". I pass my Phone to him and watch. Vinnie looks scared for a second and nods his head frantically while saying "Yes Sir". He wipes his brow with be hand mumbling "shit!" And handing my phone back to me. I smile and leave the office.

"Lets go Lula. We have some asses kick back to jail" Lula squeals and runs to join my side. We leave through the bonds office doors as I black truck pulls up to a stop and two men in black step out. Tank is looking at me. When I greet him with a "Hey Big Guy" he trips up curb and stumbles forward but stays on his feet. I pause briefly and giggle. Jeez this is fun. "You Merry Men are hilarious. You guys have been entertaining me all day" I say and continue walking to my truck. When I pass Ranger I say "Hey Ranger" but don't stop. Lula gives Tank a quick kiss and runs after me. "Shit white girl" Lula yells. "Is this dream truck yours? My Tankie will go hard on the spot when he sees this. Damn." Unfortunately, Lula's not so quiet talking is heard by Ranger and Tank. I see Tank shake his head and smile at Lula while Ranger is just staring at me blankly. Tank calls out me as I step up into my truck "Good to have you back Bomber". I smile at him warmly and nod my head.

When Lula and I get back to the office with our body receipts for two low level skips and a mid level skip Ranger's truck is parked at the curb. I give the two low level skips receipts to Lula and once I have my check I leave to face Batman. Ranger steps out of his truck and I walk over to him chanting silently to myself. You can do this Steph. Stay strong. I smile at him warmly. I really have missed him. When silent pause is too much for me I start talking. "I missed you... My best friend. How are you Ranger?" His eyes harden briefly before he speaks "how am I? Is that all? How about letting me know you were going to disappear for 8 months? Why did you leave Stephanie?"

I sigh. "Ranger I was here for a month after the case before I decided to leave and you weren't back in Trenton. In fact I didn't hear from you at all once I stepped on that plane in DC." Taking a breath and shaking my head. I speak some to the blanked face Ranger "it seems easier for you to compartmentalise things including burying your love for me in some deep dark compartment. I couldn't do that. I loved you but I was having trouble dealing with loving someone that I could not be with. I did what I had to do for me. To heal me. To get me some happy back. To find some balance in me. To work through my feelings." I turn to stand beside him and lean against his truck crossing my arms.

"Ranger, the time we were together for the case was the best time of my life. Even though we were working hard and the situation was dangerous it was made better because you were by my side and I loved getting that close to you in every way. I was experiencing time with you the man that is Carlos not the mercenary Ranger. It is a bittersweet time for me. The sweetest and most loved part of my life was working and being close to you during that case but it is also bitter because you shut us down and pushed me away again".

I notice Ranger stiffen and tense towards the end of my speech but I still had more to say. "You should be happy for me Ranger. I am much better now. Much stronger, more confident and more happy. Now I can deal with loving you but never having you in a committed relationship. I reached an acceptance and peace with that even though I have my sad moments occasionally. There will never be a love in my life that matches my love for you but that's a good thing because I could not replace you and don't want to".

We stay silent for a while before I hear "babe" and witness Ranger run his hands through his hair and pulling the tie out of his hair. "I missed you. I was so worried when I heard you left town with no forwarding contact. I couldn't find you. I hate you not being in my life babe".

"Ranger, I had to go. My heart was broken and I needed time to heal. Find a way to heal".

"Is there a man in your life? Have you moved on? Is that what you are saying?" He says blankly but there is an underlying pleading to his tone.

"No Ranger. This is not about another man. This is about me and us or the us I couldn't have with you. You wouldn't let me have with you".

"I am sorry I hurt you Babe." He reaches out and takes my hand. The warmth that is typically Ranger, his signature warmth, flows through me heating my hand and traveling up my arm.

I sigh, "Ranger I tried hard to prepare for this but I need to know. Are you seeing some one?"

"No Babe. There hasn't been anyone else for a long time. It has always been you Babe".

"Ok. I am sorry I asked but I am just not sure how I would handle seeing you with a no strings one night stand and casual fling".

"Babe I don't want anyone else but you. Please Babe will you give me another chance?" Ranger is now standing in front of me holding both my hands to his chest. His brown eyes held so much emotion. I saw love there. God I love this man so much.

"Are you sure about this? I don't know if I can open myself up so completely to you right now. It took a lot of work on myself to get to where I am and I am not ready to jeopardise that. I am sorry. What if we start out slow? After all we haven't seen each other for so long."

"Yeah Babe that would be great. I would love to take it slow with you" and Ranger genuinely smiles warmly at me before pressing a kiss to my forehead, my cheeks, nose then mouth.

Epilogue - 6 months later.

Ranger and I have been together since the day of my return to Trenton. We took things slow and quickly fell back into our close friendship. At 4 months we took the next step not just in the bedroom but publicly announcing our exclusivity as a couple.

I glance in the mirror one last time before I hear the knock on my door and open it to my gorgeous Cuban man. He smiles warmly at me. "Babe" and kisses my cheek as he enters my apartment. "This is for you Babe" and he clasps a beautiful platinum bracelet on my wrist. Ranger holds out his arm and says "shall we my beautiful Babe?"

Ranger walks me back to my apartment after our wonderful date night. He checks the apartment for bad guys as usual even though I am more than capable and willing to do it myself. Something's never change, yet something's change a lot. I smile at the memories Ranger and I have created in recent months. I love being with him.

Ranger walks us into the living room and I already see to wine glasses and a wine bottle nestled in a ice bucket. When did he do that? Hmmm... Oh yeah his Batman. Ranger laughs. "Oops, I said that out loud didn't I?"

"Yeah Babe, but I love you even more for it".

Ranger puts some music on to play and gathers me in his arms. One arm is wraps around my hip to rest on my lower back while his other hand holds mine over his heart. We move together smoothly ours hips moving rhythmically and melt into his warm strong body. I don't know how long we were dancing when Ranger stopped moving and steps back slightly. "Babe" he says "I have a favour to ask..."

He kneels on one knee and takes out the trademark Tiffany box from his pocket. "I need you to marry me"

He smiles up at me and opens the box. "For real this time Babe. All of me is yours and I would love for you be my wife for the rest of my days. I love you with everything in me. Will you marry me Babe?" He is rambling nervously and smile at him and reply "Yes. I need you to marry me".

The end


End file.
